The Brief
- A Washington state resident has died after contracting avian influenza from infected dairy cows, marking the state’s first bird flu death this year.
- Health officials confirmed three total farm infections in Yakima County, though farmworker representatives suspect cases are undercounted due to immigration enforcement concerns.
- Additional bird flu detections have surfaced in Pierce County poultry and Kittitas County backyard flocks, but federal officials maintain that general public risk is low.
A Washington resident with underlying health conditions has died after contracting bird flu from infected dairy cattle in Yakima County, marking the state’s first avian influenza death this year.
First fatal bird flu case in WA
What we know:
A Washington resident has died from bird flu after exposure to infected cattle at a dairy farm in Yakima County, marking the first avian influenza fatality in the state this year, according to the Yakima County Health District.
The individual had underlying medical conditions. Health officials stated that two other people contracted bird flu from a dairy farm in Yakima County this year, but neither required hospitalization.…